Hype? There's been a little in the catalogs over the years--you'd be in for a challenge to find any advertising that didn't contain at least a little bit. There are bow ads in magazines and on web sites with a whole lot more hype than the entire BW catalog has ever contained, at least that I've seen.
From my experience with them, the folks at BW are dang good people that provide great customer service, and Ken Beck will shoot it to you straight if you ask him if he thinks the BW bows are head and shoulders above any other good bow.
Are they "the" bow for everyone? That's easy to check--look at any big archery classifieds. Too many of them change hands to be perfect for every shooter. I've owned two, shot many more, and don't own one now. Can't say that I won't own another one of these days, but right now I don't have that burning desire to buy one, and wouldn't trade my current favorite for a new one.
The "try before you buy" program is great, but don't limit yourself. Go to as many tournaments as you can--the bigger the better. That's a great place to find vendors, and other shooters, who will let you try their bows. Shoot as many as you can side-by-side and see how they compare.
Chad